Three years ago, Mastercard set out to transform its brand into a technology company connecting with consumers through experiences, surprises and promotions. Its Priceless Surprises campaign has now offered more than 500,000 surprises, including fan meet-and-greets with musicians like Justin Timberlake, and consumer perception of Mastercard has shifted into more likeable territory.

"From the consumer's perspective, we want to be an experiential, lifestyle brand," Raja Rajamannar, global chief marketing and communications officer for the Purchase, N.Y.-based company, told Ad Age at the annual ANA Masters of Marketing conference. "To do this, it has been a journey for us over the last three years."

In a Friday morning presentation at the conference, Mr. Rajamannar surprised the audience with a guest appearance by pro golfer Sir Nick Faldo. He said such moments are designed to better unite the brand with its customers.

The company has also redesigned its logo, a move that Mr. Rajamannar said has been well-received by customers. "It's a clean, simple design," he said. "From a digital perspective its optimized for a digital presence, so it's worked very well for us."